Brevard County quiets Daytona Cubs' bats

Published: Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 4, 2014 at 12:02 a.m.

MELBOURNE — The Daytona Cubs did not play poorly in their 1-0 season-opening loss to the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday night, but a stroll through the team’s locker room after the game gave quite a different impression.

There were a lot of long faces.

And, for some, even the prospect of tonight’s 7:05 home opener at “Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark and another shot at Brevard County could not make things better.

“It’s big to play the home opener (tonight),” left fielder Rock Shoulders said. “But, I am thinking about right now a little bit more than (tonight’s game).”

Down the hallway, Cubs manager Dave Keller smiled a bit when the atmosphere that hung over his team was mentioned. Daytona won the Florida State League title last season, and Keller said his team learned to loathe defeat.

“These guys don’t want to lose,” Keller said. “We have a group of kids here that won last year, and they know what that feels like.”

Daytona was done in by the first hit for the Manatees (1-0), a double to right by Tyrone Taylor that scored Brandon Macias from first to make it 1-0 in the third. Machias had reached on a fielder’s choice.

Despite outhitting Brevard 5-4, the Cubs could not break through against Brevard’s Tyler Wagner (1-0), who gave up three hits over five innings, to get the win. Relievers Stephen Peterson, Jorge Lopez, Martin Viramontes and Tommy Toledo, who picked up the save, combined to allow just three hits over the final four innings.

“Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the pitchers,” Cubs cleanup hitter Dan Vogelbach said.

Brevard’s pitching spoiled a nearly as brilliant night on the mound for Daytona. Felix Pena (0-1) allowed just three hits and one run over six innings, and relievers Zach Cates and Arodys Vizcaino each worked a scoreless inning.

“Our pitchers pitched their butts off,” Vogelbach said. “And our defense played great. We are not worried about the bats. That is going to come along, and we will be fine.”

“I think right now, these guys want to get back out and play,” Keller said. “They knew they were so close to making a couple things happen tonight. They happened the wrong way, and they saw what happened. Big league games are very similar. A couple little mistakes here or there, it is a one-run game, they bring in their closer and it is over.”

<p><span class="Dateline">MELBOURNE — </span>The Daytona Cubs did not play poorly in their 1-0 season-opening loss to the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday night, but a stroll through the team's locker room after the game gave quite a different impression.</p><p>There were a lot of long faces. </p><p>And, for some, even the prospect of tonight's 7:05 home opener at “Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark and another shot at Brevard County could not make things better.</p><p>“It's big to play the home opener (tonight),” left fielder Rock Shoulders said. “But, I am thinking about right now a little bit more than (tonight's game).”</p><p>Down the hallway, Cubs manager Dave Keller smiled a bit when the atmosphere that hung over his team was mentioned. Daytona won the Florida State League title last season, and Keller said his team learned to loathe defeat. </p><p>“These guys don't want to lose,” Keller said. “We have a group of kids here that won last year, and they know what that feels like.”</p><p>Daytona was done in by the first hit for the Manatees (1-0), a double to right by Tyrone Taylor that scored Brandon Macias from first to make it 1-0 in the third. Machias had reached on a fielder's choice.</p><p>Despite outhitting Brevard 5-4, the Cubs could not break through against Brevard's Tyler Wagner (1-0), who gave up three hits over five innings, to get the win. Relievers Stephen Peterson, Jorge Lopez, Martin Viramontes and Tommy Toledo, who picked up the save, combined to allow just three hits over the final four innings.</p><p>“Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the pitchers,” Cubs cleanup hitter Dan Vogelbach said. </p><p>Brevard's pitching spoiled a nearly as brilliant night on the mound for Daytona. Felix Pena (0-1) allowed just three hits and one run over six innings, and relievers Zach Cates and Arodys Vizcaino each worked a scoreless inning. </p><p>“Our pitchers pitched their butts off,” Vogelbach said. “And our defense played great. We are not worried about the bats. That is going to come along, and we will be fine.”</p><p>“I think right now, these guys want to get back out and play,” Keller said. “They knew they were so close to making a couple things happen tonight. They happened the wrong way, and they saw what happened. Big league games are very similar. A couple little mistakes here or there, it is a one-run game, they bring in their closer and it is over.”</p>